Simulated prewrap carton and automatic lock bottom arrangement

ABSTRACT

A carton member erectable from a collapsed condition comprising a bottom construction which automatically unfolds itself and locks the carton in erected condition on application of force to opposite folded edges thereof and a blank for assembly of such a carton member. The carton is provided with outer wrapping material adhered to the outer surfaces of the blank to afford a simulated gift wrapped package when the carton member is in erected condition.

1451 Feb. 5, 1974 United States Patent 1191 Kramer SIMULATED PREWRAP CARTON AND AUTOMATIC LOCK BOTTOM ARRANGEMENT lnventor: Robert G. Kramer, Cincinnati, Ohio 381,600 10/1964 Switzerland,".........,.......;.. 229/39 R [73] Ass1gnee: Diamond International Corporation,

New York, NY.

Jan. 12, 1972 Primary Examiner-George E. Lowrance Assistant Examiner-Stephen Marcus [22] Filed:

pp No.: 217,100 ttorney, Agent, or Firm Karl W. Flock-s ABSTRACT A carton member erectable from a collapsed condition comprising a bottom construction which automatically unfolds itself and locks the carton in erected MR M d 7 fiB M MR 4 MR m9 3 m8 "3 "9 2 m2 muh c "3 we s In C v d L6 U.mF HUN 555 [121 R f C1 d condition on application of forceto opposite folded e erences l e edges thereof and a blank for assembly of such a car- UNITED STATES PATENTS ton member. The carton is provided with outer wrapping material adhered to the outer surfaces of the blank to afford asimulated gift wrapped package when the carton member is in erected condition.

7 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures 2,538,860 Buttery.............,.......... 3,443,739 Adams, Jr.'... 2,677,494 5/1954 Buttery 2,011,232 8/1935 Parks et a1.

9/1959 Perry et a1.

PAIENTEB FEB 51974 SHEET 1 OF 2 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a carton member suitable as a gift-enclosing simulated prewrapped package, and particularly to a carton member having an au-- tomatic erectable and lockable bottom.

2. Description of the Prior Art In the past many efforts have been made to produce simulated prewrapped cartons which are attractive and thereby enhance the sale of merchandise purchased as gifts. Some of the prior art cartons have proved to be attractive, but not completely satisfactory in a functional sense. In this connection some of the earlier attempts included bottoms which had a tendency to collapse, particularly when a relatively heavy item is inserted therein. Other prior art cartons .of this type have not been quick and easy to erect,

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprisesa'new andimproved carton for a gift package which includes an attractive covering material adhered to the outer surface of the carton to simulate a wrapped package. The carton includes a bottom construction which is quick and simple to erect and provides a sturdy support for the item contained therein.

Another object of this invention is to provide afo'ldable carton having a bottom construction which is automatically erected as the main panels of the carton are unfolded from their collapsed condition.

' A further object of this invention is to provide a carton having a bottom construction comprising interlock ing members to prevent collapse thereof by a relatively heavy object contained therein.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an automatically formed lock-bottom which has the finished appearance of a manually wrapped package.

Moreover, it is an object of this invention to provide a simulated wrapped package with finished edges.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF TI-IE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings", wherein there is illustrated one complete embodiment of a preferred form looking at the outside surface of the carton to be formed; v

FIGS. 3-5 show fragmentary views of the carton according to this invention in various stages ofits erection while looking at the bottom thereof in perspective;

FIG. 6 is a bottom view in perspective of the carton according to this invention in erected condition;

FIG. 7 is a further view of the erected carton according to this invention in perspective;

FIG. 8 is a view in perspective ofthe carton according to this invention with portions broken away to show the bottom construction as it is being erected;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the carton according to this invention with portions broken away to show the I innerlocking relationship of the bottom construction in the assembled and erected condition of the carton;

FIG. 10 shows a view in perspective of the top construction of the carton according to this invention. in a partially closed condition; and

FIG. 11 shows a view in perspective of the top portion of the erected carton according to this invention in a completely closed condition.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now more particularly to the drawings, FIGS. 1 and 2 show a blank B for assembling a carton according to this invention. The panel B comprises four generally rectangular panels 10, 12, 14 and 16 which are successively hinged to each other along mutually parallel fold lines 13, and 17, respectively. Integrally hinged along the free edge-of one of the outer panels 10 along fold line 11 is a glue panel 18 with glue on the surface shown in FIG. 2. Integrally hinged to the free edge of the other outer panel 16 along fold line 19 is a glue panel 20 with glue being optional on the surface shown in FIG. 1. Identical bottom lock flaps 22 and 24 V nates in a generally rectangular projection 42. Sirniare integrally hinged along fold lines 21 and 25 to alternate panels 10 and 14, respectively. Integrally hinged I to'alternate panels 12 and 16 along fold lines 23 and 27 are bottom support panels 26 and 28, respectively. Bottom lock flap 22 includes a projecting finger-like tab 30 and a hook tab 32 separated therefrom by a cut-out slot 34. Similarly, bottom lock flap 24 includes a'projecting finger-like tab 44 and a hooktab 46 separated therefrom by a cutout slot 48. Bottom support flap 26 is generally triangular in shape and includes an extension integrally hinged thereto along fold line 38. This extension includes a cut-away shoulder portion 40 and termilarly, bottom support flaps 28 is generally triangular in shape and includes a portion extending integrally therewith along fold line 54. This portion includes cut-away shoulder portion 52 which terminates in a generally rectangular projection 56. The hook tabs 32 and 46 a each are formed with a cut-away shoulder portion 37 and 47 and are arranged in mirror-like relationship withthe cut-away shoulder portions 40 and 52, respectively, to providethe widened slots 36 and 50.

Integrally hinged to the top edge of panel 10 along fold line 29 is upper lock flap 58. Integrally hinged to alternate panels l2, 16 at the'upper edges thereof along fold lines 31 and 35 are upper side flaps 60 and 64, respectively. lntegrally extending along the upper edge of panel 14 along fold line 33 is an upper cover flap 62. The upper lock flap 58terrninates in a generally triangular lock tab 66, which is adapted to be inserted into a lock slot 68 formed in the upper cover flap 62.

Adhered to the outer surface of the blank B by any suitable adhesive means is a cover sheet 70 which may be of ornamental foil, paper, or similar material. The sheet 70 may incorporate in its outer surface'any attractive design to appeal to the purchaser of merchandise as a gift. The outer surface of sheet 70 may be of any various colors as gold, silver, green, red, etc. to provide an attractive simulated wrapped gift package.

Preliminary assembly of the bottom construction is achieved by folding each of the flaps 22, 24, 26 and 28 inwardly along fold lines 21, 25, 23-and 27,- respecand 16 prior to assembling the panels 10, 12, 14 and 16 by application of the respective glue panels 18 and 20 thereto.

To assemble the blank B to form a carton the outstanding comer projection 72 of the cover sheet 70 is folded along the angled edge 37 as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 1 to lap over bottom support flap 28 and a portion of panel 16. The panels 18, 10, 12, 14 and 16 are then folded so as to be inside surfaces along fold lines l1, 13, 15, 17 and 19, respectively. Panel 20 is folded along line 19 so that the glue applied thereto is pressed against the inner surface of panel 16. The glue surface of panel 18 is then brought against the exposed surface of panel 20 to form the united edges as shown in part in FIG. 9. v

Flaps 22, 24, 26 and 28 are then folded into the carton along lines 21, 25, 23 and 27, respectively. Next, glue is applied to the rectangular projections 42 and 56 ,of the shouldered extensions 40 and 52 of support flaps 26 and 28 as shown in FIG. 2. Thereafter, the shouldered extensions 40 and 52, which are foldable along fold lines 38 and 54 against flaps 26 and 28, respectively, in the erected condition of the assembled carton C, are (in their fully extended or unfolded condition) brought against hook tabs 32 and 46, respectively, and

' adhered thereto as shown in FIG. 3. With the carton C thus assembled, each of the bottom flaps 22, 24, 26 and 28 may be pressed into the carton and folded flatly against panels 10, 14, 12 and 16, respectively, so that the assembled carton C is in a completely collapsed, folded flat condition.

To erect the carton C for use as a package pressure may be applied inwardly against the folded carton along the edge 17 shown in FIG. 3 and the diagonally opposed folded edge 13 shown in FIG. 4. As pressure is applied to the edges 13 and 17 the carton C is erected by progressing from the completely folded flat condition to the successive conditions shown in FIGS. 3-6. As the carton C is progressively unfolded from the folded flat condition, hook tab 32 and generally rectangular projection 42, which are adhesively secured to each other, mutually raise each other and the respective flaps 22 and 26 thereof away from the panels and 12. Similarly, the hook tab 46 and the generally rectangular projection 56 mutually raise each other and their respective flaps 24 and 28 away from the folded condition against the panels 14 and 16, respectively. As the bottom lock flap 22 and 24 unfold from against their respective panels 10 and 14, they gradually interengage as shown in FIG. 8 with hook tab 32 of flap 22 passing through cut-out slot 48 of flap 24 and hook tab 46 passing through cut-out slot 34 of flap 22. At the same time finger-like tab 30 passes down over shoulder portion 47. In similar fashion finger-like tab 44 of flap 24 passes over shoulder portion 37 of flap 22. In the final erected condition hook tabs 32 and 46 are interlocked against each other as shown in FIG. 9.

After an article, such as a bottle of liquor or perfume,

has been inserted in the erected carton C, depending upon its size, the carton may be closed by folding the upper cover flap 62 down, the side flaps 60 and 64- 4 ing lock tab 66 into slot 68, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 to provide the completely closed package shown in FIG. 7.

It is to be understood that while one preferred embodiment of the present invention has been illustrated and described herein, numerous variations or modifications herein may occur to those having skill in this art and what is intended to be covered herein is not only the illustrated form of the invention, but also any and all modified forms thereof as they come within the spirit of this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A carton member including an automatic lock bottom construction, said carton member comprising four main panels integrally hinged to each other and-erectable from a collapsed condition into a locked erected condition, one pair of said main panels being in opposed relationship to each other and having identical bottom lock means extending therefrom and a second pair of said main panels being in opposed relationship to each other and having identical bottom support means extending therefrom, said lock means including a bottom lock flap with a projecting finger-like tab, and a hook tab separated from each other by a cut-out slot, said bottom support means including a generally triangular portion with a foldable extending integral therewith and terminating in a generally rectangular projection, and each of said hook tabs and said generally rectangular projection of one of said bottom support means are formed with congruent cut-away shoulders and are adhesively secured to each other, whereupon in the erection of said carton member each of said adhesively secured hook tabs and adjacent generally rectangular projection conjointly lift each other and unfold from against the respective main panels thereof.

2. The carton member as recited in claim 1 wherein in its erected condition each hook tab is received in the cut-out slot of the other lock flap and overlies a neck portion of the other lock flap.

3. The carton member as recited in claim 2 wherein in its erected condition each finger-like tab assumes an overlying relationship with the other lock flap over a shoulder portion thereof.

4. The carton member as recited in claim 3 wherein said member has adhered to the outer surface thereof a cover material which in the erected condition of said carton member affords the effect of a suitable wrapped packaged gift.

5. The carton member as recited in claim 3 wherein said member is assembled from a blank comprising glue panels integrally hinged to free edges of opposite outer ones of said four main panels.

6. The carton member as recited in claim 3 wherein said member further comprises top side flaps extending slot. 

1. A carton member including an automatic lock bottom construction, said carton member comprising four main panels integrally hinged to each other and erectable from a collapsed condition into a locked erected condition, one pair of said main panels being in opposed relationship to each other and having identical bottom lock means extending therefrom and a second pair of said main panels being iN opposed relationship to each other and having identical bottom support means extending therefrom, said lock means including a bottom lock flap with a projecting finger-like tab, and a hook tab separated from each other by a cut-out slot, said bottom support means including a generally triangular portion with a foldable extending integral therewith and terminating in a generally rectangular projection, and each of said hook tabs and said generally rectangular projection of one of said bottom support means are formed with congruent cutaway shoulders and are adhesively secured to each other, whereupon in the erection of said carton member each of said adhesively secured hook tabs and adjacent generally rectangular projection conjointly lift each other and unfold from against the respective main panels thereof.
 2. The carton member as recited in claim 1 wherein in its erected condition each hook tab is received in the cut-out slot of the other lock flap and overlies a neck portion of the other lock flap.
 3. The carton member as recited in claim 2 wherein in its erected condition each finger-like tab assumes an overlying relationship with the other lock flap over a shoulder portion thereof.
 4. The carton member as recited in claim 3 wherein said member has adhered to the outer surface thereof a cover material which in the erected condition of said carton member affords the effect of a suitable wrapped packaged gift.
 5. The carton member as recited in claim 3 wherein said member is assembled from a blank comprising glue panels integrally hinged to free edges of opposite outer ones of said four main panels.
 6. The carton member as recited in claim 3 wherein said member further comprises top side flaps extending from a pair of opposite ones of said main panels, a top cover flap extending from a third one of said main panels, and a lock panel extending from a fourth one of said main panels.
 7. The carton member as recited in claim 6 wherein said cover includes a lock slot and said lock panel includes an insert lock tab for cooperation with said lock slot. 